Don’t Just Point at the Menu: How to Order Coffee in Czech

You walk into a cozy café in Prague. The smell of fresh coffee, the clinking of cups, the hipster barista with a man-bun… and then the panic:

“How do I actually order in Czech without sounding like a lost tourist?”

Don’t worry. Ordering in Czech is easier than you think and it’s actually a great way to practice some of the most useful words in the language. So:

Jednu krávu, prosím.

Except… you didn’t just order one coffee (jednu kávu). You just asked for one cow. Yes, one tiny slip of a letter, and suddenly your flat white turns into a farm animal.

It should be “Jednu kávu, prosím”.

Mistake 1: Forgetting Politeness

In many languages, a friendly “Hi!” works everywhere. But in Czech cafés, you don’t say Ahoj to the barista unless they’re your friend.

Instead, when you enter, you should say:

• Dobrý den. – Good day / Hello (formal)

And when you order, you should use vy (formal “you”), not ty (informal “you”).

So instead of:

• Ahoj, dáš mi kávu? (Hi, will you give me a coffee?)
  you should say:

• Dobrý den, dám si kávu. (Good day, I’ll have a coffee.)

Czech cafés are relaxed, but politeness matters. Using Dobrý den makes you sound respectful and immediately more local.

Mistake 2: Forgetting Czech Loves Cases

In Czech, nouns don’t stay the same. They change their form depending on their role in the sentence. This system is called cases.

When you order, you use the accusative case (because the coffee is the object of your request).

• Nominative (dictionary form): jedna káva

• Accusative (used when ordering): jednu kávu

That’s why you must say:

• Jednu kávu, prosím. – One coffee, please.
  (and not jedna káva)

The same happens with masculine inanimate and neuter words, but the good news is that you won’t notice the difference. The nominative and accusative forms are the same!

• Jeden dort (nom.) → jeden dort (acc.)

• Jedno pivo (nom.) → jedno pivo (acc.)

  (no change here, because masculine inanimate and neuter words don’t change in accusative)

But feminine nouns like káva always change: káva → kávu.

Mistake 3: Overcomplicating Things

Learners sometimes try to build long, polite sentences like in English:
“I would like to have one cappuccino with oat milk, please, if possible.”

But if you are just starting with Czech then shorter is better. Just say:

• Kávu, prosím. – Coffee, please.

• Dám si cappuccino. – I’ll have a cappuccino.

Grammar tip: Dám si

Literally, dám si means “I will give myself.” It sounds funny in English, but in Czech it’s the standard way to order food and drinks.

Use “Dám si” + the name of your drink of choice

The Magic Word: Prosím

In Czech, you don’t need to overcomplicate things. You can survive with just one magic word:

• Flat white, prosím. – Flat white, please.

• Čaj, prosím. – Tea, please.

Yes, it really is that simple. Say the drink + prosím and you’ll be fine.

Want to Sound More Local?

If you want to sound like you belong in Vinohrady or Letná (two Prague neighborhoods famous for their cafés), you can step it up a little:

• Dám si cappuccino. – I’ll have a cappuccino.

• Jakou kávu máte na mlýnku? – literally “What coffee do you have on the grinder?” meaning “What coffee are you serving today?”

Notice something sneaky? Káva becomes kávu, čaj stays čaj. Welcome to the mysterious world of Czech cases. Don’t panic. Just copy the phrase and sip your flat white.

Mistake 4: Thinking Numbers Don’t Matter

Numbers in Czech are their own little grammar adventure. They always affect the word that follows:

• 1 → accusative singular → jednu kávu

• 2–4 → accusative plural → dvě kávy, tři kávy, čtyři kávy

• 5+ → genitive plural → pět káv, deset káv

So the endings change:

• káva → kávu (1, singular accusative)

• kávy (2–4)

• káv (5+)

This happens with almost every noun:

• dort → dva dorty → pět dortů

• čaj → tři čaje → sedm čajů

• pivo → dvě piva → deset piv

If you get this pattern, you’ve unlocked one of the biggest Czech secrets.

So How Do You Get It Right?

You don’t need to memorize endless tables. You just need to:

• Learn the accusative form for the most common café nouns.

• Practice the number pattern (1 / 2–4 / 5+).

• Use ready-made phrases like Dám si…

And that’s exactly what my Czech Coffee Shop: Survival Vocabulary Sheet gives you, ready-to-use phrases, grammar explained simply, and a real café menu to practice on. Download it now and order like a local next time you’re in Prague!